Structure for awnings and canopies



y 20, 1958 G. F. FORSTHOEFEL 2,835,000

STRUCTURE FOR AWNINGS AND CANOPIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. l4, 1955 I INVENTOR. GREGORY FO/ PSTHOEFEL ATTOR/VE rs May 20, 1958 G. F. FORSTHOEFEL 2,835,000

STRUCTURE FOR AWNINGS AND CANOPIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14; 1955 INVENTOR. GREGG/FY F FOPSTHOEFEL W W;MM%7

ATTORNEY May 20, 1958 e. F. FORSTHOEFEL 2,835,000

STRUCTURE FOR AWNINGS AND CANQPIES Filed NOV- 14, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

GREGORY F FO/PSTHOEFEL ATTORNEYS y 1958 G. F. FORSTHOEFEL 2,835,000

STRUCTURE FOR AWNINGS AND CANOPIES Filed Nov. 14. 195 5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fi g .ZZZZ' IN VEN TOR.

AT TOR/VEYS United States Patent M STRUCTURE FOR AWNINGS AND CANOPIES Gregory F. Forsthoefel, Adrian, Mich. Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,368 6 Claims. c1. 20-57.5)

This invention relates to awnings and canopies for installation over windows and doors.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an awning or canopy having roof and cave portions which consists of a sheet of somewhat flexible material in combination with an assembly of channeled trimming members which function not only to conceal rough edges of the sheet of flexible material but also to establish the slope and curvature of the roof and cave portion and to hold them rigidly in shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide an awning or canopy structure, such as that outlined above, which has bracing struts connected to certain channeled trimming and framing members by means of, brackets which are slidingly adjustable along the interiors of such members to vary the slope of the awning or canopy.

Another object of the invention is to provide an awning or canopy, such as that outlined above, having wall brackets adapted to be mounted upon window and door frames or various widths, and universally adjustable joints to connect bracing struts to said wall brackets and to trimming and framing members of the awning or canopy, whereby such struts may extend from. said universally adjustable joints at various angles to accommodate the awning or canopy to windows. and doors of various sizes and to position the roof at various. slopes.

And still a further object is to provide an awning or canopy of highly economical construction which can be easily installed by unskilled persons without special tools and. which when installed is sturdy and storm resistant and pleasing in appearance.

The following description and the accompanying draw ings are exemplary only and, while they set forth preferred embodiments of the invention, they are, not intended to impose limitations upon its scope.

In the drawings: I v

Fig. I is a view in perspective of an awning, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. II is a side elevational' view of the awning illustrated in Fig. I, but showning in dash lines the awning as mounted at a steeper slope;

Fig. III is a top plan view of. the awning, roof and: trimming and, framing members;

Fig. IV isa detail plan view showning anupper, corner construction of the trimming and framing, with hinge, members fastened thereto;

V is a side view of a strip. which. forms part of such corner construction, with hinge members-fastened thereto;

Fig. VI is a detail view partly in section showing, an! adjustable bracket employed in the. awning and canopy. structures illustrated in Figs. I and II and the manner in which the adjustable bracket connects. a bracing strut to a trimming and framing member;

Fig. VII is a front elevational view ofa wall bracket. whichis. employed in mounting the awning or canopy illustrated in the preceding figures;

, assatsa Patented May 20, I958 Fig. VIII is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. IX is a detail side View showing a universally adjustable connection between the lower end of a bracing strut and the lower end of a wall bracket, one adjustment being shown in full lines and another adjustment being shown in dash lines;

Fig, X is a detail view partly in section showing an alternative hinge construction at the upper end of a wall bracket;

Fig. XI is a view similar to Fig. IX but showing an alternative form of joint between the lower end of the bracing strut and the lower end of the wall bracket.

Fig. XII is a detail top View of the joint shown in Fig. XI; and

Fig. XIII is a view similar to Fig. VII but showing the wall bracket adapted for use with the form'of joint illustrated in Fig. XI.

The awning construction shown in the drawings comprises a sheet of corrugated metal or corrugated resin bound glass fiber 1 having a marginal frame 2 of oval channel section. The frame 2 serves to support and stiffen the corrugated sheet 1 and also as trim for the sheet's raw edges. It consists of a pair of side members 3 and 4 curved to establish the contour of the awning and a straight back bar 5. The oval side member and back bar channels open inwardly and receive the edges of the corrugated sheet 1 which is sufiiciently flexible to be easily fitted into the frame.

The side members 3 and 4 may extend around the lower corners and along the front edge of the corrugated sheet 1' and overlap somewhat where they meet at the. center of the front edge, or alternatively they may overlap the ends of an oval front bar 6 or the side members 3 and 4 and the front bar 6 can be made in one. continuous piece without any joint along the front edge. The side members are connected to the back bar by, identical strips 7 eachof which is bent at a right angle around the upper corner of the corrugated sheet 1. One end. of the strip is inserted into the upper end of the side memher 3 or 4 while the other end of the strip lies behind pins 12 to the hinge members 8 secured to the strip 7 and.

back. bar SI When the awning is to be installed: above a, door or window, hinge members 8 are secured to the strip 7 and back bar 5 at positions so selected that the hinge members will span the door or Window. The wall brackets 10 are screwed to the door or Window frame in such positions that their hinge members 11 will match the hinge members 8 secured to the strip and. back bar and the matching hinge members are connected bythe hinge pins 12. So hung the awning can be adjusted up anddown. about the hinges.

In order to hold the awning firmly in adjusted position it is braced by struts 15 reaching from the lower ends of' the wall brackets 10 to selective positions along the side members 3 and 4. The struts may be gracefully curved and are formed of oval tubing or solidoval bar stock harmonizing in size and shape with the ovalchannels of: the side members Sand 4.

For use. with awnings to be installed with a comparative'ly steep: pitch the struts: may be comparatively short and comparatively straight. For awnings or canopies I 3 sloping less steeply as shown in Figs. I and II longer-struts are provided. These longer struts 15 are reversely curved to enhance their appearance and also to provide adequate head room for persons entering or leaving the shelter of the awning or canopy from the sides.

Each strut of either the short or the long type is attached to a side member 3 or 4 by means of an adjustable bracket 16 having a flange 17 which enters and fits within the oval channel of the side member 3 'or 4. To

enable the strut to be so adjusted as to extend from the:

bracket 16 in various directions when the awning is;installed over windows and doors of various widths and is installed to slope at various angles, the joint between the bracket 16 and the ends of the strut 15 is so devised as to be universally adjustable. This is accomplished by stamping a spherically curved seat 18 into the side of the tubular strut 15 adjacent its end, inserting a conformingly shaped grommet 19, preferably of rubber, between the seat and the bracket and loosely pivoting the strut to the bracket on a substantially horizontal axis by means of a clamping bolt 20 which passes through the grommet and serves as a pintle while loose and then clamps the bracket, the grommet and the strut together in adjusted position when tightened. For convenience in manipulation the clamping bolt is provided with a wing nut. When the strut 15 is made of oval tubing a backing ring 21 may be employed if desired to prevent collapse of the str-u-t should undue force be applied to the wing nut. When the strut '15 is made from solid oval bar stock no such reinforcement is ever needed.

As shown in Fig. V1 the flange 17 of the adjustable bracket 16 does not close the slot in the oval side member which receives the edge of the sheet 1. Hence, the oval side member channels 3 and 4 can receive and support the edges of the sheet which constitutes the roof panel and at the same time can slidably receive flanges '17 of brackets 16. The flanges 17 fit tightly within the oval channels so that they cannot accidentally slip out of adjusted position. Nevertheless they can he slid into proper position by forcing or driving them into place.

Universal angular adjustment at the connection between the wall bracket 10 and the other end of the strut is accomplished by bulging the lower end of the wall bracket outwardly as at 22, securing a bulging cap 23 to this other end of the strut, inserting a rubber washer 24 between the bulging cap 23 and the bulging lower end '22 of the wall bracket 10 and tying them together by means of a bolt 25, which passes through holes in the cap 23 and the rubber washer and a slot in the bulging lower end 23 of the wall bracket 10, with sufficient clearance to permit relative universal rolling adjustment, and then can be tightened to clamp the parts together.

In the alternative hinge construction shown in Fig. X a book 26 is formed on a member 1111 to receive the back bar 5 of the awning structure. A keeper 27 is secured to the hinge member 1 1a beneath the back bar 5 to keep it from dropping out of the hook 26. The shape of the keeper 27 may be such as to permit limited rocking movement of the back bar 5 within the book 26 so that the slope of the awning can be changed by adjusting the connections between the bracing struts 15 and the side members 3 and 4, or the connection between the awning structure and the "wall brackets may be nonrocking when it is. not desired that the slope of the awn-' ing be adjustable. When it is not desired that the slope be subject to adjustment the connection between the bracing struts '15 may of course be nonadjustable.

In the alternative formaof universal joint shown in Figs. XI and XI=I a yoke 28 is pivoted upon the end of the strut by means of a bolt 29 equipped with a wing nut 30, and a bolt 31 passes through the bight of the yoke and through a horizontal slot 32 in the wall bracket 10a, a

rubber washer 33 being interposed between the yoke 28 and the wall bracket. This form of universal joint perm1ts the strut to be swung vertically about the bolt 29 and then clamped in vertical adjustment by turning the wing nut 30, and permits the strut to be swung horizonta'lly along the slot 32 and then clamped in horizontal adjustment by tightening a nut 34 on the bolt 31.

Awnings and canopies constructed as set forth above can be fabricated with the same relatively inexpensive tools. The trimming and framing members are the same whether they are to be incorporated with sheets of. metal I or sheets of other flexible material such as resin bound glass or other fiber.

The awnings can be shipped knocked down and can be installed by unskilled persons without special tools.

Stock sizes will fit windows and doors of various widths.

They can be sloped at optimum angles. When installed they present a neat and pleasing appearance and are sturdy and wind resistant.

The invention is susceptible to modification within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. An awning structure comprising, in combination, a corrugated sheet flexible transversely of its corrugations, a frame having curved channeled side members which receive the corrugated edges of the sheet and act to curve the sheet into a roof panel with a curtain portion along its front edge, and function to support the said roof panel and curtain portion, and also serve as trim for the rough edges of the corrugated sheet, and a bracing strut bracket having a part fitting tightly within each of said channel side members and slidably adjustable therealong, said part having an open portion generally continuous with the sheet edge receiving portion of said channel side members and in noninterfering relationship to the sheet edge.

2. An awning structure comprising, in combination, a corrugated sheet flexible transversely of its corrugations, a frame having curved channeled side members oval in cross section which receive the corrugated edges of the sheet and act to curve the sheet into a roof panel with 21 curtain portion along its front edge, and function to support the said roof panel and curtain portion, and also serve as trim for the rough edges of the corrugated sheet, and a bracing strut bracket having a part fitting tightly within the oval interior of each of said channel side members and slidably adjustable therealong, said part having an open portion generally continuous with the sheet edge receiving portion of said' channel side members and in noninterfering relationship to the sheet edge.

3. An awning structure comprising, in combination, acorrugated sheet flexible transversely of its corrugations, a frame having curved channeled side members which receive the corrugated edges of the sheet and act to curve the sheet into a roof panel with a curtain portion along its front edge, and function to support the said roof panel and curtain portion, and also serve as trim for the rough edges of the corrugated sheet, and a bracing strut bracket having a part'fitting tightly within each of said channel side members and slidably adjustable therealong, said part having an open portion generally continuous with the sheet edge receiving portion of said channel side members and in noninterfering relationship to the sheet edge, bracing struts and a universal connection between one end of each of said bracing struts and one of said bracing strut brackets.

4. An awning structure comprising, in combination, a corrugated sheet flexible transversely of the corrugations, a frame having curved channeled side members which receive the corrugated edges of the sheet and act to curve the sheet into a roof panel with a curtain portion along its front edge, and function to support the said roof panel and curtain portion, and also serve as trim for the rough edges of the corrugated sheet, and a bracing strut bracket having a part fitting tightly within each of said channel side members and slidably adjustable therealong, said part having an open portion generally continuous with the sheet edge receiving portion of said channel side members and in noninterfering relationship to the sheet edge, bracing struts and a universal connection between one end of each of said bracing struts and one of said bracing strut brackets, wall brackets each having a lower end and an upper end, and a universally adjustable connection between the other end of each of said struts and the lower end of one of said wall brackets.

5. An awning structure comprising, in combination, a corrugated sheet flexible transversely of its corrugations, a frame having curved channeled side members which receive the corrugated edges of the sheet and act to curve the sheet into a roof panel with a curtain portion along its front edge, and function to support the said roof panel and curtain portion, and also serve as trim for the rough edges of the corrugated sheet, and a bracing strut bracket having a part fitting tightly within each of said channel side members and slidably adjustable therealong, said part having an open portion generally continuous with the sheet edge receiving portion of said channel side members and in noninterfering relationship to the sheet edge, a bracing strut and a universal connection between one end of each of said bracing struts and one of said bracing strut brackets, wall brackets each having a lower end and an upper end, and a universally adjustable connection between the other end of each of said struts and the lower end of one of said wall brackets, there being a hinge connection between the upper end of each of said wall brackets and said frame.

6. An awning structure comprising, in combination, a corrugated sheet flexible transversely of its corrugations, a frame having curved channeled sidelmembers which receive the corrugated edges of the sheet and act to curve the sheet into a roof panel with a curtain portion along its front edge, and function to support the said roof panel and curtain portion, and also serve as trim for the rough edges of the corrugated sheet, and a bracing strut bracket having a part fitting tightly within each of said channel side members and slidably adjustable therealong, said part having an open portion generally continuous with the sheet edge receiving portion of said channel side members and in noninterfering relationship to the sheet edge, bracing struts, and a universal connection between one end of each of said bracing struts and each of said bracing strut brackets, wall brackets each having a lower end and an upper end, and a universally adjustable connection between the other end of each of said struts and the lower end of one of said wall brackets, there being a hinge connection between the upper end of each of said wall brackets and said frame, and means for clamping said universally adjustable joints to retain said struts in said angular positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 570,877 Morein Nov. 3, 1896 1,248,227 Wells Nov. 27, 1917 2,101,349 Sharp Dec. 7, 1937 2,504,700 Krantz Apr. 18, 1950 2,513,042 Muhn June 27, 1950 2,597,633 Graham May 20, 1952 2,631,341 Pettigrew et a1. Mar. 17, 1953 2,680,887 Rimmeir June 15, 1954 2,78 5 Phillips Mar. 19, 1957 

